DUBAI: Head coach of the Multan Sultans Tom Moody said on Wednesday that he wants his team to fight right to the end in the Pakistan Super League tournament.

The tournament will kick-off from tomorrow with the first match between Peshawar Zalmi and debutants Multan Sultans.

Speaking in an event, the head coach said: “We hopefully be playing at the point of the end of the season that’s what really counts; peaking at the right time and playing the final.”

Moody said that its an absolute privilege to be involved with the new side.

“We certainly thank our owners and their families for their trust in us and our pursuit for success in this season and beyond,” he said, “its certainly a very exciting time for us all, we are backing on very good tournament, a very professionally-run tournament and to be involved as a new team with new players, its exciting.”

“We are looking forward to be playing in the first game tomorrow night.”

DUBAI: Multan Sultans Director Wasim Akram revealed that the team immediately took their strategic time-out at the 11th over of the game against Lahore Qalandars in view of halting the momentum being built through the partnership between Fakhar Zaman and Umar Akmal.

Multan Sultans won by 43 runs against Lahore Qalandars in the Punjab Derby held at the Dubai International Stadium tonight.

Speaking to Geo.tv, Akram said: “We wanted to slow down the momentum, and immediately after the strategic timeout luckily for us Umar Akmal got out, Junaid Khan had his hattrick, Muhammad Irfan’s timely spell. Everything is shaping well. But it’s a long tournament, it is too early to say what will happen next.”

He added that there is no secret for the Sultans’ successive victories and credited the entire team for the win.

“The way the captain led the troops, the way the team responded, and the way Toom Mody is handling the boys. All credit to them,” Akram said.

The Sultans’ director firmly said that national team selectors will find new talent from this edition of the PSL as well. “Though it is too early to predict but the selectors will defiantly find new talent,” he said.

KARACHI: Born in Pakistan but migrated to South Africa for pursuing a career in international cricket, Imran Tahir is in action in Pakistan’s biggest cricket tournament as a foreign player now.

The 38-year-old has made his mark by clinching seven wickets in three PSL games for Multan Sultans — his first appearance in the league. And, he’s enjoying it.

“Well done to PSL and the organisers and everybody involved with the league, it’s a great league. I didn’t think that it was going to be that tough, but now I am loving it,” said Imran Tahir, who has played 20 Tests, 85 ODIs and 36 T20Is for South Africa.

“I feel proud to be playing PSL, specially against the players who are good at playing the spin. It’s a very good standard, it is not easy for spinners to come and just take wickets,” he added.

Talking about Multan Sultan’s game against Islamabad United, the fearsome spinner said that despite the defeat, he is proud of his team for fighting till the end.

“Islamabad United did bowl well, conditions were in their favour, it was a good toss to win for them, I am satisfied because we fought well as a team so that’s a good sign as a team,” he said.

“Apart from Malik, Pollard’s wicket was crucial, if he had stayed for another three overs probably it would have been a different story, but Islamabad played well and credit goes to them,” replied Tahir when asked what went wrong in the middle for Multan, after winning the first two games convincingly.

He brushed aside the observation that players of Multan Sultans became complacent after the first two wins against the two big teams.

“For us, every team is a big team. Respecting the game is important for us,” he said.

“I take every game as very important game for me, I have done a lot of hard work in life to be here, what I am today is because of cricket and I respect the game, I don’t take any match for granted. I am trying my best, we played well as a team,” he further said.

Sangakkara, other foreign players of Multan Sultans ready to travel to Pakistan

Kumar Sangakkara

DUBAI: Multan Sultans, the debutant franchise of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has confirmed its star batsman Kumar Sangakkara is “ready and excited” to travel to Pakistan for the later matches of the tournament.

Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium is set to host two eliminator matches of the PSL, while Karachi’s National Stadium will witness the final on March 25.

Speaking to media in Dubai, Multan Sultans President Asher Schon said Sri Lankan veteran batsman Kumar Sangakkara, as well as other overseas players in the team, are ready to travel to Pakistan.

Multan Sultans President Asher Schon

“Yes, Kumar Sangakkara has agreed [to come to Pakistan] and he’s very excited about it, he has a lot of history in Pakistan,” said Schon, adding that other foreign players in his team would be travelling to Pakistan as well.

The franchise president said it was good to see the big stars stepping up with their game.

He also lauded the professionalism of head coach Tom Moody and director Wasim Akram, who “must be given credit for the team’s performance.”

Schon also shared his franchise’s plans to collaborate with Lahore Qalandars for players’ grass roots development.

“We want to work closely with Lahore Qalandars for the players development program,” he said, while appreciating the efforts of the Qalandars management in developing grass roots cricket talent across the province.

He shared that the Multan Sultans would be launching their own such program to develop cricket talent in the country, from April this year.

Opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad is eager to play against buddy Shahid Afridi, as Multan Sultans would take on Karachi Kings in the second lag of Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Friday at Sharjah.

“It’s always great to play against Afridi, he is definitely a world class player, so it is great to play with him or against him,” Shehzad said in an interview to local media.

Shehzad and Afridi are known for their friendship on and off the field and are famous for their selfies. Shehzad said that he wants to take PSL back to Pakistan.

“It is something we all want to see, PSL is all about cricket but we all want this cricket to go back to Pakistan, because it means a lot for the people ,” said Shahzad.

The opening batsman admitted that Dubai has not been able to draw people into stadiums, but things will change when the tournament will shift to Lahore and Karachi.

“Stadiums are kind of empty, because it is very difficult for the management to pull the crowd in Dubai, so when it will jump to Lahore and Karachi, it will be great for both PSL and the Pakistani fans who are waiting to see stars playing in front of them,” he added.

REALISTIC GOALS: Multan Sultans captain Shoaib Malik says he would love to lead the side to the playoffs, but also wants to go on to win them. PHOTO COURTESY: PSL

KARACHI: Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans captain Shoaib Malik revealed he agreed to lead the sixth team of the tournament after being asked by bowling legend Wasim Akram to do so.

However, Malik — who successfully led debutants Multan Sultans to two consecutive victories in their first two matches of the PSL3 before facing a defeat in the third — says him captaining a franchise doesn’t mean he is interested in leading the Pakistan national team too.

“Wasim bhai asked me to be the captain,” said Malik. “I can’t say no to him. And if I am captaining a franchise, that doesn’t mean I want to be the Pakistan national team captain.”

He continued by revealing his aim with the ODI side. “My goal right now is to play the 2019 World Cup as a player because that is the one thing which is missing in my career. I pray that we win the World Cup so that my dream is fulfilled.”

On debut victory in PSL

Multan Sultans beat PSL2 champions Peshawar Zalmi in the opening match of the event to show precisely why they are considered one of the favourites at the tournament, but Malik believes Darren Sammy-led side are still one of the toughest to beat.

“We have a lot of experienced players in our team,” explained Malik. “Meanwhile, Zalmi did not have their full-strength squad in the tournament opener. Hasan Ali was injured, Lala [Shahid Afridi] moved to Karachi Kings. But they still are one of the strongest sides in the PSL.”

When asked how he pulled off such a convincing victory in the very first match, Malik said: “On any given day, if your batting clicks or three out of your five bowlers perform, then that team wins. So it was theirs and ours first match. It takes times before you find the rhythm, the right team combination and the momentum. We found all of that in the start which was an advantage for us.”

On Wasim being in Sultans’ camp

Multan Sultans first masterstroke even before the PSL started was to scoop Pakistan bowling great Wasim Akram from inaugural PSL champions Islamabad United, and Malik believes his presence is a confidence booster for everyone in the team.

“When you have the presence of such a big name in your team, half of the pressure is alleviated. Also when Wasim bhai, as a mentor, talks to any cricketer it gives you immense confidence. So him being with Multan Sultans is something which we always wanted. I think it is great thing, not only for me, but all the players of Multan Sultans and overall the PSL as well,” Malik said of Wasim.

On PSL3 goals

Sultans ended the first phase of the PSL3 as one of the strongest outfits with two victories from three matches and Malik is eyeing a playoff spot for the team, but only qualifying for the last-four in not enough for the all-rounder.

“We are trying to win one match at a time,” he said. “For us entering the playoffs is imperative, but to win it is equally important for us. We would like to finish in the top two after the league stage. That is why we are focusing on being consistent so that we end up in the top two, but it is too early to say anything right now. We need to win two to three matches first and then think about playoffs.”

On being a mentor for youngsters

Pakistan won the Champions Trophy last year after being thrashed in the first match at the hands of arch-rivals India, whom they then beat in the final.

Youngster like pacer Hasan Ali and leggie Shadab Khan were all-praise for Malik for giving them a pep talk after the India humiliation and Malik says he cherishes the role because he understand the responsibility of being a senior.

“You should never resist helping youngsters thinking they’ll replace you,” he said. “As a senior, it is your responsibility to help them. It is one’s duty to help them learn things quickly which we learned in the field after a lot of hardwork. There are two kinds of experiences: one that you get by playing, and the other is by playing with or against experienced players. However, for that to happen, seniors should be good too.”

On Pakistan-India cricket series

Pakistan and India cricketing relations have been put on a halt since 2012 due to political tensions, but Malik believes cricket should not suffer.

“Cricket should not stop,” he said. “Differences should be resolved. We speak the same language, we eat the same foods and whenever I go to India, I receive a lot of love. I don’t like I am not in Pakistan. And when my wife [Sania Mirza] comes to Pakistan, she feels at home too and receives a lot of love.”

He then equated Pakistan-India to a festive occasion. “There are things that need to settled and authorities, I am sure, are working to solve those issues. Because when cricket is played between these countries, it becomes a festive occasion. It feels like every day is Eid when these teams are playing,” he said.

SHARJAH: Sri Lanka’s legendary cricketer and senior batsman of Multan Sultans Kumar Sangakkara has hailed Shoaib Malik’s captaincy and termed it as one of the reasons for Sultans’ good show in the third edition of Pakistan Super League.

Talking exclusively to Geo.tv, Sangakkara said that Malik has kept the environment very relaxed and everyone is enjoying great teamwork.

“It’s about teamwork, it’s about staying relaxed and enjoying the cricket that we play,” he commented when asked about the secret behind Multan’s great show in the tournament so far.

“Shoaib Malik has been great as a leader because he is very relaxed, very laid back and never puts pressure on the guys but expects us just to do the job that we are supposed to do. And the management has been spot on in the arrangements and the preparations,” he added.

40-but-still fit and a veteran of 259 T20 games around the world, he termed PSL as one of the best cricket leagues being played in the world.

“I think the level of competition is extremely high. Some of the best internationals going around playing, and some great young talent from Pakistan, some senior talent, so I think its one of the best leagues out there,” he said.

He, however, was reluctant to make a firm comment when asked regarding his visit to Pakistan.

“It’s a long way to go before we qualify. It is about playing one game at a time and then making the decision that has to be made when the time comes,” he responded when asked if he would go to Pakistan if Multan qualifies for the playoffs.

Earlier, the president of Multan Sultans, Ashar Schon had announced that his team’s foreign players, including Kumar Sangakkara, have agreed to visit Pakistan if the team qualifies for the playoffs.

SHARJAH: Multan Sultans’ spin wizard Imran Tahir on Saturday shared his excitement over getting his first ever hat-trick in the Asian region.

Tahir’s hat-trick guided Multan to a 9-wicket win over Quetta Gladiators, making him the second bowler from the debutant franchise to bag this season's second hat-trick and only the third in PSL history.

“It’s my first hat-trick in the [region], [so obviously] I’m very pleased. It’s all [because of a great] team effort,” Tahir told Geo.tv after the match.

Asked about what’s making Multan Sultans click so well in only their first PSL season, the South African spinner said he attributes the team’s success to an environment of mutual trust and understanding.

“We all respect one another, we understand one another’s roles in the team. Our management is very calm, even at crucial junctures.”

Tahir, who was part of the World XI squad to tour Pakistan last year, said he would once again try to convince other players to visit the country for the latter matches of the PSL.

The 38-year old, who was born and raised in Pakistan, said he is proud to represent South Africa and will forever be indebted to the country for making his dream to play cricket come true.

“Although I grew up playing cricket in Pakistan, I feel proud to play for South Africa. I am forever indebted to South Africa for giving me opportunities and for making my parents’ dream and mine [to play cricket] come true.”

SHARJAH: Sohail Tanvir, the man of the match in Multan Sultans' outstanding win against Quetta Gladiators, on Saturday credited former captain and swing master Wasim Akram’s guidance and motivation for his superb bowling.

Tanvir, who took just one wicket in three previous games, bagged three in the recent one, conceding 14 runs in three overs to damage Quetta’s batting line.

“Wasim bhai’s motivation and guidance helped me a lot today to perform well,” he told this correspondent after winning the man of the match title in the game.

“I spoke to Wasim bhai today before the match against Quetta Gladiators because he has played a lot in Sharjah and has a great experience,” said the 33-year-old left-arm bowler.

He said he and the Sultans' other bowlers are lucky to have Akram for guidance.

“We all still need some guidance at some point in our careers. We feel lucky to have Wasim bhai around. We are three left-arm fast bowlers here and we always get to learn from Wasim Akram,” Tanvir said.

The bowler further said he was satisfied to be taking wickets once again adding that luck wasn’t favouring him in earlier matches despite bowling well.

“I am very very happy and very proud of my performance. I didn’t get a lot of wickets in earlier matches; I believe I wasn’t bowling that bad but luck wasn’t favouring me,” he concluded.

Kumar Sangakkara, the leading run-scorer in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL), on Sunday said that the "level of competition in the league is very high”.

The former Sri Lankan skipper was talking to DawnNews in Sharjah. “Some of the best international players are playing alongside great young talent from Pakistan, and the seniors are there too. I think it is one the best leagues out there,” he said.

Sangakkara praised Shoaib Malik on his captaincy skill and said that the skipper never puts pressure on players.

“He [Malik] has been great as a leader because he is very calm. He never puts pressure on us but expects us just to do the job that we are supposed to do,” he shared.

When asked if he will be coming to Pakistan if Multan Sultans qualify for the playoffs, Sangakkara said, “I think we [have] got a long way to go before we qualify. It’s about playing one game at a time and taking a decision when the time comes.”

Commenting on the hat-trick by Imran Tahir, the second by a Sultans' player this season, Sangakkara said, "I think its outstanding."

"The way Imran Tahir bowls it shows the quality of the man and why he is considered one of the best bowlers in the shorter format of the game. It's just his control, his awareness, and the fact that he gives everything. It's a pleasure to play with him," he added.

Multan Sultans’ right-handed batsman Sohaib Maqsood has credited captain Shoaib Malik for his return to form after his brilliant innings helped the new entrants register a 19-run win over Peshawar Zalmi in the 16th match of the Pakistan Super League on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old was in terrible form coming into the match, with scores of 24, 4, 1 and 26 not out to his name, and had looked completely out of sorts in those innings.

However, on Tuesday, Maqsood struck this edition’s highest score of 85 off just 42 balls, a knock that included four fours and seven massive sixes.

While talking to the media after the innings, Maqsood, who has represented Pakistan in 26 ODIs and 20 T20Is, revealed the positive influence of captain Malik.

“I must give credit to Shoaib [Malik] bhai for my innings,” said Maqsood. “He told me that he is not expecting consistent performances from me or for me to deliver in every game. Instead, all he wants me to do is play two or three match-winning innings, and I am glad I managed to play one today.”

His unbeaten 85 that came off just 42 balls took the game away from defending champions Peshawar Zalmi and enabled Multan Sultans to consolidate their position at the top of the HBL PSL points table with a 19-run victory.

Sohaib, 30, was pleased with his match-winning knock but made it clear that he will not sit back and bask in its glory.

“I have always trusted my talent. I have done well but there have been times when I haven’t delivered. Now, I want to be a consistent performer,” he said.

Sohaib had scored just 52 runs from his previous four PSL outings this season. He felt exceptionally down after losing his wicket cheaply against Islamabad United on February 25 but revealed how Multan captain Shoaib Malik raised his morale.

“I’m the sort of character who can lose heart after a few bad outings.

“I was particularly down when I got out against Islamabad but Shoaib bhai came to me and told me that no matter what happens I will be playing all ten league matches for the team. He said that the team needed just two or three big knocks from me. That really gave me confidence because I trust in my abilities and I knew that I had it in me to do that.

“(Kumar) Sangakkara also really helped me by giving me a game plan which I managed to execute.”

Sohaib, who hasn’t played for Pakistan since January 2016, was confident that he will continue giving his best in PSL.

“My focus is to play my best cricket. I want to be a high-ranked player in PSL just like I’m in domestic cricket.”

Malik is in top form in this psl and leading the team very well. I think Multan owner along with the management have managed him well. I guess that Ary owner Salman was putting too much pressure on Malik when he was captaining the Karachi side.

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